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Addressing the cybersecurity skills
shortage in South Africa
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C
ommunications Deputy Minister
Pinky Kekana says the South African
government has a long-term vision
to partly address the cybersecurity skills
shortage in the country.
Addressing the CEO Forum for Cybersecurity
in Johannesburg, Kekana said that, in the
not too distant future, South Africa will have
formal education qualifications ranging
from diplomas for school leavers at NQF 5 to
graduate and postgraduate degrees.
“The intention is to work closely with
the SETA (Sector Education and Training
Authority) and in particular the Reserve
Bank, the MICT (Media, Information and
Communication Technologies) and SASSETA
(Safety and Security Sector Education and
Training Authority,” said Kekana.
“The initiative entails the development of
roles and responsibilities for the cybersecurity
sector through the identification of
Organisational Framework for Occupations
(OFO) Codes. This OFO will set the base for
linking various occupations to specific skills
and will assist in identifying further training
needs. The next step would be to then
engage private service providers to develop
cybersecurity training programmes.”
To professionalise this industry, Kekana
said that a framework has been developed
consisting of various job descriptions that
will provide a spectrum of careers necessary
to build a credible industry.
“These job descriptions will be accompanied
by educational requirements that will ensure
the candidate has the level of expertise
necessary to fulfil the responsibilities
assigned to the job,” she said.
Kekana warned that it would be impossible
to implement a Cybercrimes and
Cybersecurity Bill without a fully capable
cyber force. The Bill will bring South Africa
in line with international laws dealing
with cybercrime.
Kekana also stressed a need for a concerted
and coordinated approach between the
private sector, government and academia to
close the cybersecurity skills gap.
“Cybersecurity skills are not in abundance
across the world, let alone in South Africa,”
she said.
Cybersecurity awareness
Giving an update on the approach to
cybersecurity awareness, Kekana said that
through its Cybersecurity Hub, government
has developed and implemented a national
Cybersecurity Awareness Portal in the last
quarter of 2017.
“The Awareness Portal will serve as a
repository for all awareness material, and it
is the main conduit for the dissemination of
Cybersecurity Awareness programmes and
information,” she said.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister announced
that, as part of its international alignment,
South Africa has adopted October as
National and International Cybersecurity
Awareness Month.
Since 2003, Cybersecurity Awareness
Month has been observed in most parts of
the world. n
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